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On the prowl for top dogs

Along with the hamburger, the hot dog is America's favorite sandwich; each of us consumes an average of 70 dogs per year! Originally called the 'dachshund sausage' for its resemblance to the skinny German canine, the frankfurter has earned a place in American regional cuisine.

SanDog's Fabulous Franks

& Succulent Sausages

SanDog's dogs are peerless. Cheery cart proprietor Sandig Wedin serves only franks and sausages produced by venerable Zenner's Quality Meats, a Portland meat purveyor since 1927. The plump Fabulous Frank, a beef-pork blend, resembles a portly corgi more than a dachshund. First, Wedin steams the dogs, finishing them with precise incisions on a cast-iron grill. The franks come on half a hoagie roll, just the right amount of bun, and customers get to choose their toppings: Definitely try the SanDog Secret Sauce, a zingy mix of horseradish, hot sauce and beet brine.

Northwest 21st Avenue and Kearney Street

Wynn's Hot Dogs

The affable owners King Dog and Weenie Queenie are part of the draw at Wynn's, where you feel like a regular upon your first visit. The lickety-split service and unorthodox frankfurter combos keep customers coming back. You can get your grilled, 8-inch, beef-pork dog classically 'naked,' but it would be a mistake to pass up the inventive specialty dogs. The Chicago Dog, for example, is meticulously layered with fresh rounds of Roma tomatoes and cucumbers and liberally doused with celery salt.

Southwest Fourth Avenue and Morrison Street, 503-309-6028

The Dog House

The rabbi-approved all-beef kosher dog is a fine place to start. All-beef dogs are devoid of the salty fillers that many palates have become accustomed to, and that's a good thing; if they're not exactly health food, these franks are better for the bod.